Ringo Starr turns 70

[dirac]

Many happy returns of the day to the Nose, who is interviewed here.

Q. When you were 24 what did you think you’d be doing at age 70?

A. I don’t know, but when I was 22, actually, I remember this so well, and I was playing, and there was another band, and these people in that other band were 40, and I was saying, “My God, you’re still doing it?” [laughs] Which doesn’t look funny in black and white, but it was incredible, and now I’m waaaaay past 40. My new hero is B. B. King. I have a great line: B. B. is still playing, even though he is sitting down now. But hey, I’m sitting down already. You’ve just got to get on with it. I’d like to be out there pretending I’m only 55, but I’m not.

[bart]

Happy birthday, Ringo. I might as well be the first one on this thread to ask the question: "Remember when being 64 (let alone 70) seemed impossibly old and far, far away in the future?" I do.

When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now

Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

If I'd been out 'til quarter to three, would you lock the door?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?

You'll be older too

Ah, and if you say the word, I could stay with you

I could be handy, mending a fuse when your lights have gone

You can knit a sweater by the fireside, Sunday mornings, go for a ride

Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight if it's not to, dear

We shall scrimp and save

Ah, grandchildren on your knee, Vera, Chuck and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line stating point of view

Indicate precisely what you mean to say, yours sincerely wasting away

Give me your answer, fill in a form, mine forever more

Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?

[dirac]

64, you say? I can remember when 30 seemed unimaginably old. Oh, well.

You say it's your birthday

It's my birthday too, yeah

They say it's your birthday

We're gonna have a good time

I'm glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you

[Mme. Hermine]

And had he lived, John Lennon would have been turning 70 October 9.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGYzTuDxlmE&feature=related

[kfw]

64, you say? I can remember when 30 seemed unimaginably old. Oh, well.

You say it's your birthday

It's my birthday too, yeah

They say it's your birthday

We're gonna have a good time

I'm glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you

[RUKen]

Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight if it's not to, dear

That should read "if it's not too dear", meaning if it's not too expensive. My grandmother (who was not British) used to use "dear" this way.

[leonid17]

Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight if it's not to, dear

That should read "if it's not too dear", meaning if it's not too expensive. My grandmother (who was not British) used to use "dear" this way.

I am English and us older people still use the expression.

I always liked Ringo and admired the rest. My mother who was born in 1906 absolutely loved the Beatles.

In fact in the England of the 1960's they were the most widely admired pop group, way above The Rolling Stones.

Happy,Happy belated Birthday wishes.

[dirac]

In fact in the England of the 1960's they were the most widely admired pop group, way above The Rolling Stones.

It's difficult to imagine today when the music scene is so heavily diversified the absolute dominance of the Beatles over the pop landscape. The Stones spent years one pace behind them copying almost everything they did and so did most everyone else.

[canbelto]

Aww, happy birthday Ringo. I didn't really like Ringo's songs but I appreciated that out of the Beatles he always seemed the nicest, most down-to-earth, and never went through an "I am too cool for the Beatles" phase. Leonid, I think people of all ages and backgrounds loved the Beatles, simply because their songs had an ability to make people happy. I remember the first time I watched "A Hard Day's Night." "This is so corny," I thought. But at the end of the movie I was slack-jawed and giggling and just flat out happy.

[papeetepatrick]

out of the Beatles he always seemed the nicest, most down-to-earth,

As well as easily the most attractive.

[kfw]

In fact in the England of the 1960's they were the most widely admired pop group, way above The Rolling Stones.

Yeah, my grandmother could at least tolerate the lads from Liverpool, as opposed to the Stones, one of whom "has white hair and looks like a girl."

I remember the first time I watched "A Hard Day's Night." "This is so corny," I thought. But at the end of the movie I was slack-jawed and giggling and just flat out happy.

What a nice tribute.

[dirac]

At one time the Beatles were thought to be suspiciously feminine as well, what with the long hair and those Cuban heels.

"A Hard Day's Night" holds up very well and to everyone's surprise Ringo turned out to be the one with the most camera-ready empathy, as evidenced in Mme. Hermine's clip. He does indeed seem to be a very nice fellow. Of course alone among the group he had no special ambitions or gifts as a songwriter or front man and he seems to have always known he was lucky to be where he was. However, he made his own special contribution to the group's appeal.

[bart]

"if it's not to, dear"

This was cut-and-pasted from an internet lyrics site. I wondered about that "to" followed by the comma..

Just flat out happy

Yep. Especially in those early and often silly days. The music was bouncy and the words were gently surrealistic. Not unlike the abetter Loony Toons musicals, come to think of it.

I always liked Ringo and admired the rest.

That was also my response in the days when they were new, to Americans at least. I recall actually feeling disappointed when I was told that the serious musicians in the group were ... Lennon and McCartney. I guess I had always hoped that Ringo, the sweet one sitting happily in the back banging on his drums, was the Prime Mover of the group.

There's a lot that visually lovely, almost Chaplinesque, about Ringo on the riverbank in Mme. Hermine's clip. I was surprised, however, to find myself thinking, a propos of nothing: He looks like Rita Tushingham's twin brother.

http://20filmwords.f...e_of_honey1.jpg

[dirac]

I recall actually feeling disappointed when I was told that the serious musicians in the group were ... Lennon and McCartney.

Your informant was hardly fair to George Harrison.

[papeetepatrick]

I guess I had always hoped that Ringo, the sweet one sitting happily in the back banging on his drums, was the Prime Mover of the group.

Don't worry, he was..

Does resemble Rita Tushingham, whom I always have liked, and need to see all her old movies again. But doesn't look too much like a girl, although as he's aged, those sensual lips have thinned. I recall Cokie Roberts complaining about the star of 'Titanic', saying 'well, I just thought DiCaprio looked too much like a gurrrrrllll..' I loved it.

I 'Beatled' my hair like crazy when I was in Junior High School, and this helped me induct the new members of the National Honour Society, of which I was the reluctant and totally irresponsible president. My homeroom teacher told me that my 'Beatled hair' looked great, but that she was determined to see if she could impeach me anyway, as she was giving me a D in Conduct! (did anybody else get separate 'conduct grades'? oh that was just so hick, I think). I didn't get into Cuban heels till much later, but I don't see a thing feminine about them, acc. to who's got 'em on.

[Helene]

"A Hard Day's Night" holds up very well and to everyone's surprise Ringo turned out to be the one with the most camera-ready empathy, as evidenced in Mme. Hermine's clip. He does indeed seem to be a very nice fellow.

Lennon and McCartney were pretty full of themselves on film. Starr always did seem like a nice man and a bit of a dreamer, while they were playing cool.

Of course alone among the group he had no special ambitions or gifts as a songwriter or front man and he seems to have always known he was lucky to be where he was. However, he made his own special contribution to the group's appeal.

He didn't start out as one of the originals. He was like the cousin staying with the family for the summer.

[papeetepatrick]

I thought about all the Beatles when I was with a friend for 5 days in 1987 in Liverpool. We stayed at this divine hotel in Toxteth, Ringo's neighborhood--oh, it was just perfect with spirals of loam alternated with tea roses as a garden design, and homemade Chicken Pie with Sage and fabulous steaks. Alas, it is no more.

We also saw the Polytechnic Institute of something or other in D'town that McCartney attended. We still talk about the magical and slightly haunted quality of our Liverpool trip as being a trip unlike either of us ever took before or since. And I do think you can understand more about how the Beatles have their own brand of soulfulness by going to L'pool, because that is a soulful town, but tough. The trip was about equally inspired by the Beatles and the Masterpiece Theater miniseries based on Priestley's 'Lost Empires', from which was saw a number of landmarks, including the Empire Theater (still there), and dined at the Adelphi Brittannia.

I DO recommend people go to L'pool!

[kfw]

At one time the Beatles were thought to be suspiciously feminine as well, what with the long hair and those Cuban heels.

Yes, and Cassius Clay had some harsh words to that effect after those famous photos of the five of them clowning.

[canbelto]

I always thought that when he cleaned up George was the most handsome Beatle. Like that crooked grin got me every time.

John = most talented

Paul = most savvy

George = hottest

Ringo = nicest

That's my call anyway. And it's not just the early stuff that has the ability to make me really happy. "Across the Universe" always makes me incredibly happy, no matter how many times I hear it.

[4mrdncr]

My memories of the Beatles are a little skewed by my age at the time:

1) When I was quite young, seeing my cousin kissing all the pictures/posters of the Beatles on her bedroom walls--I thought that VERY strange. (She also gave me my first pair of (used) pointe shoes)

2) Hearing most of their songs on the radio when I lived in Japan, and not having much idea what they looked like since we didn't watch TV.

3) Seeing "Yellow Submarine" in the theater, and not realizing the 'real' Beatles were at the end of it.

4) Listening and reading the program notes for "Sgt.Pepper's..." album in my uncle's living room with the patent leather wallpaper, lava light, and paper-mache 'cave' he made on their front porch.

5) Hearing the music, and seeing the fireworks for a Rolling Stones concert at the nearby LA Coliseum from the basement of USC's Library--I had a term paper due, and didn't really appreciate the Stones, then a few days later learning of John Lennon's death, and experiencing the absolute silence on campus the next day, while a loudspeaker played Imagine....

But I always liked Ringo best for many of the same reasons you have all mentioned above already. I'm glad he had a happy birthday.

I was also thinking that most of the Beatles managed to stay married to their spouses "till death do them part" (And yes, I know a few were married more than once, but not to the excessive degrees seen today.)

[dirac]

John = most talented

Hmm. McCartney is the most musically gifted by a long way - it took him many more years to run out of gas creatively and even now he can still gin up at least one decent song per album no matter how mediocre the rest of it is. Lennon was the better singer, in fact he has a fair claim to being the greatest singer rock has produced, and you could argue that he was a more unusual talent, perhaps.

[papeetepatrick]

Lennon was the better singer, in fact he has a fair claim to being the greatest singer rock has produced, and you could argue that he was a more unusual talent, perhaps.

A chacun son gout. I think David Bowie light-years better as a singer (and maybe even Elvis if you stretch back). In a general sense, I think Bowie is the greatest musician in all of rock. Although I love all periods of the Beatles' work, whether 'If I Fell in Love with You' or 'She's Leaving Home', and 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' is a masterpiece; although not much 'All We are Saying is Give Peace a Chance', which is tiresome even if you want peace (I never am sure anybody wants it for very long). Yoko's influcnce is a bit much for me, although she's certainly clever at real estate and Strawberry Fields is gorgeous. I also think the Stones are great, that the Who are great, that Iggy Pop is great, that Janis Joplin was great,the Doors are great, Deborah Harry is great (later, of course), there are just so many different kinds of talent throughout rock, it's hard to know for sure except that some are your favourites.I don't know if Kate Bush is considered 'rock', but she's incredible. That's just a few.

As a composer, McCartney with his 'Liverpool Oratorio' has not produced the greatest choral work ever written, but it's often pleasant (I think Carl Davis thought it was 'just so English'), it's got good things in it, and that cathedral (glorious, and only finished in 1978 after a hundred years' work) deserved Kiri and poor Hadley, both of whom sounded great in it.

[Helene]

I was always partial to Jon Anderson (Yes) as a singer.

[kfw]

I think David Bowie light-years better as a singer (and maybe even Elvis if you stretch back).

My vote goes for Bob Dylan. A lot of people don't care for his voice, but when the spirit moves him he phrases exceptionally well, perhaps even more so in concert than on studio recordings because he's so spontaneous that the arrangements of his songs evolve so much from year to year and even night to night. I once heard him begin "Mr. Tambourine Man" in a then standard version and gradually but dramatically change the rhythm halfway through.

Not only his phrasing but the timbre of his voice has fluctuated markedly over the years, not just as age had constricted his range, but of his own choosing. Compare the gravel voice of his early years to the croon of "Lay Lady Lay" and the warmth of the Woodstock years, and the shout of the 1974 tour as documented on "Before the Flood." In the mid-nineties he had yet approach and another sound. Even today, when many old fans like myself think his voice has finally lost its beauty, he's capable some nights of infusing his songs with drama and suspense. As a singer, he's had many lives.

As for McCartney, he's still an exciting singer, but a lot of what he wrote when he first left the Beatles was too sweet for my taste. Perhaps his later work is different.

[Mashinka]

The Times has been suggesting that the occasion of his 70th birthday, might be a cue for giving him a knighthood. I don't see why not as all kinds of honours are scattered around like confetti of late.

I once saw Ringo in the crush bar at Covent Garden back in the 80's, I thought 'that's Ringo Starr!' and did a sort of double take just as he looked up - our eyes met and he gave me a big smile, not something I'll forget in a hurry.

The rise to fame of the Beatles was incredibly rapid and my big regret is that I never saw them live, though I did see most of the other big name groups at the time such as the Stones and Beach Boys. Quite recently I realized that I still remember most of the lyrics from most of the songs when I found myself singing Back in the USSR, to a group of Russian dancers in the middle of the night on the terrace of a hotel in Spain. Rather surreal looking back, but the dancers seemed to genuinely enjoy it.